This lesson introduces students to the concepts of evolution, specifically the evolution of humans. So often our students assume that humans are well adapted to our environments because we are in control of our evolutionary destiny. The goal is to change these types of misconceptions and get our students to link the concepts learned in their DNA, protein synthesis, and genetics units to their understanding of evolution. Students will also discover that humans are still evolving and learn about the traits that are more recent adaptations to our environment. The lesson is designed to take two one-hour class periods to complete. The activities will allow students to draw connections between environmental pressures and selected traits, both through data analysis and modeling. Most activities can be done without any special materials, although the Modeling Natural Selection activity needs either a tri-colored pasta, or tricolored beans, to be completed effectively.

Julie Boehm is a biology teacher at Wellesley High School in Wellesley, Massachusetts. She is especially passionate about relating all topics of biology to humans and the human body. Her website can be found at: ilovebiology.wikispaces.com

The site, sponsored by Public Broadcasting Stations (PBS), presents a human Evolution activity that shows the major hominid (human or human-like) species discovered to date, when they lived, and how they might be related to each other.http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/evolution/